Guadeloupe
Estimate population 463,800 - Capital: Basse-Terre
Columbus reached the area of Guadeloupe in 1493 and a French colony was founded in 1635. Officially it is an overseas department of France in the Lesser Antilles island chain of the West Indies. The total land area is 1,780 square kilometres (687 square miles).
Some of the manufactured products made in Guadeloupe are liquors, refined sugar, wheat flour, and machinery. Sugar and bananas are grown and exported. If you like music and dance then you must visit Guadeloupe. French is the official language, but a Creole dialect is widely spoken. The currency is the franc.